The Specialist Infant Feeding Service works with families whose babies are experiencing feeding problems requiring more intensive or specialist support including:
- difficulty with latch
- poor milk supply
- sore nipples or other breast problems
- slow weight gain or faltering growth
- breast refusal
- illness or condition
- suspected restricted frenulum (tongue-tie)
- induced lactation or re-lactation
- advice and guidance in the use of a supplementary nursing system (SNS).
The Specialist Infant Feeding Team includes lactation consultants and breastfeeding assistant practitioners.
- Lactation consultants are accredited specialists who can support with complex feeding issues including assessing babies with a suspected tongue-tie.
- Breastfeeding assistant practitioners are trained and experienced in providing breastfeeding support. Our team also supports individuals to complete clinical placements and training which are part of the requirements to become an accredited lactation consultant.
Support is available to all families whether they are bottle or breastfeeding.
The teams support the wider Health Visiting Service and staff from family hubs in Kent and Medway maintain UNICEF accreditation as baby friendly services. The Infant Feeding Team complete regular anonymous audits either by telephone or face-to-face with families using the Unicef standard BFI community and children centre audit tool.
Tongue tie referrals
In Kent, there is Tongue-Tie Co-ordination Service – providing a centralised referral and appointment booking route as well as support pre and post tongue-tie procedure. This service works in partnership with East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust and Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust who provide tongue-tie procedures in Kent.
In Medway, the Health Visiting Service provides assessment and support for babies under six months who may have a tongue-tie and are experiencing feeding difficulties. Specialist infant feeding practitioners assess feeding, offer advice and support, and where appropriate refer babies to the Tongue-tie Clinic for treatment. Most babies are seen within one week of referral at the weekly clinic at Medway Park.
How do I refer?
For families in Kent, referrals to the service can be made using the Specialist Infant Feeding Service referral form. for any issue including a suspected tongue-tie that is affecting feeding. Referrals should only be made once an infant feeding assessment and plan have been put in place and reassessed at least 48 hours with the parent/carer. The existing feeding plan must be evidenced in the referral. All families should be signposted to local support, you can find details in the useful contacts below.
For those babies who have already seen a lactation consultant, infant feeding advisor or breastfeeding counsellor who has identified a tongue-tie, a referral can be made directly to the Tongue-Tie Co-ordination Service using the Kent Frenulotomy (tongue-tie) referral form.
For families in Medway, referrals are made by phoning the health visiting duty line on 0300 123 3444.
What happens next?
Once the team receive a referral, they will arrange for an initial assessment to be completed within 10 working days. A care plan will be developed in partnership with the family, and may include follow up appointments or referring to other specialist services.
Families are seen one-to-one via telephone or video call, or face-to-face at a clinic or at home if required.
Useful contacts
Parents and carers can get in touch with their Health Visiting Team for general support.
Find local drop-ins and other ways to get breastfeeding support 24/7 including via phone and virtual sessions in Kent and Medway.
- National Breastfeeding Helpline: 0300 100 0212 available 24/7.
- National Childbirth Trust (NCT): 0300 330 0700. The line is open every day from 8am to midnight, including bank holidays.
Practitioners
We work hard to make sure client information is safe. Most practitioner email accounts are not encrypted. We will therefore send information by a secure method called Egress, you will need to register for an account in order to open any correspondence we send you that contains sensitive or identifiable information. When we correspond with you in relation to a referral you will receive an email that looks like this, just click on the blue bar and it will take you to Egress in order to register for an account so you can read and respond to emails securely.
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